Catching up

This site is experiencing technical difficulties. If you are having problems viewing photos, please be patient, I'm working on it. Thanks!I can't believe how fast this year is going. We are already a week away from midterms. The Barrett-Jackson car show, the Phoenix Open, and the Arabian Horse Show have come and gone. It's getting ready to be spring, and we've only just had our first rain of the year. Probably one of the more perfect times in our corner of the desert, and what people fall in love with when they come for a visit. Especially with the kind of winter everyone has been suffering through this year! Polar vortex indeed.It makes me glad to be here, but at the same time the snowbirds glory in our 80° February, what they don't realize is that even for us, it's unseasonably warm - and dry. It harkens to a tough year ahead for fire season, drought, habitat loss, and stress on wildlife. Not to mention a scorching May - September. I'm trying not to think of that now, and just revel in the glory of living someplace snow-and-windchill free.I feel a blog re-vamp coming on (again), so look for some changes coming up. While I have loved using Wordpress.org, and having the customization freedom it offers, I am frustrated by the fact that when I read through some of my posts, half the time the pictures don't show up (WTF?). And the whole hosting situation is a pain in the rear. So I'm looking to move the whole operation over to another web hosting site, hopefully with lots of improvements.I'm taking Austin Kleon's advice from STEAL LIKE AN ARTIST, and stealing ideas for how to make this site better. Austin sends out occasional newsletters with a quick update on his projects, along with links to interesting things he's found on the internet recently. Alex Yeske from Dreams + Jeans blogs beautiful pictures and product recommendations. I really like how both of these bloggers give a succinct post, paired with images, and suggestions from around the web, and hope to implement their best practices here. I'd also like to make to make this site better for YOU, my readers. Any comments? Suggestions on improvements? I'd love to hear them in the comments section below.Here are some recent photos: 

Thanks

So, I'm sure you've noticed a huge gap in posts. I mean, of course you have, because you're a regular reader and you love my wit, and you can't WAIT until you see a new post from me!Kind of like how I am with The Hermitage, Dreams + Jeans, and Fine Art Tips.A lot has been going on. I have been taking 17 credit hours this semester, and I can't remember the last time I've worked so hard and been so happy in that work. I'm telling you right now: If you've been in a slump, or maybe want to advance in your career but lack of a degree is holding you back; GO TO SCHOOL, even if it's just one class at a time.There's nothing that will revive you more than feeding your brain. It's the perfect time in the economy, too. Things are starting to bounce back, but it's slow going and business is still slow enough that if you wanted to, you could squeeze in a morning or evening class. Some of them are scheduled to only meet once a week, if that's all you can commit. There are loads of scholarships available, and enrollment is down, so they WANT you to go to school.But assuming you can afford one class per semester - maybe two - what would you take? What has always piqued your interest? Ancient Egypt? Art History 101- Prehistoric to the Gothic, or World History to 1500.What have you always wondered more about? How to really use Excel, so you can go up a paygrade at work? CIS 105 or Excel Level I.

Or, have you always wondered why rocks look like this? Take Geology 101! I liked it so much I took 102 as well.Why don't you do something for you? You've always wanted to try painting. Remember how much you loved watching Bob Ross? I recommend taking Color Theory first. It's been a challenge, but a good one!

Think about it.Besides school, we've had a few birthdaysand lost our two best friends :(Butter (aka Best Dog in the World) was 13, and Pepper (2nd Best Dog in the World) was 12. They passed away within a month of each other.Our new girl, Juniper, was a birthday surprise, and missed meeting Pepper by two days, but kept Butter company for the last month. She's adorable, and smart, and keeps us all on our toes.The horses have gotten hairy. They got a post-Halloween treat.Keira is still for sale. It's strange, I think she must be waiting for the perfect home. I've had several people interested in her, and a few offers, but they all fell through for various reasons. All she needs is time and attention. She's super smart and sweet, and responds well to training (see video on her page). I'm so surprised she hasn't sold yet, because she's pretty close to perfect. But that's just my opinion ;)I gave my first class lectureand we've had some rain.Coming up, I've got a post on a popular author, a round-up of my projects for the semester, an out-of-town writing conference (so exciting!), and after Christmas, I get to go visit my family. Please continue to keep my sister-in-law and our parents in your thoughts. This is our first holiday without John, and he is greatly missed.Here and now, it's holiday time in the desert, cool and crisp in the morning, sunny in the afternoon.I'm thankful for it all - my family, our health & home, the opportunities we have.And to you, for taking the time to visit.Much love,Heidi...If you'd like to do more online browsing, please stop by my friends' sites:Pb Crazyr. mccormack writestaysteele.comstrategicbongoTracyJoyCreative

Sample Chapter - Ruby and the Unicorn ch. 12

It's been awhile since I've posted any progress on my book, and with going back to school, it's been a bit on the backburner (again), but with some recent encouragement from writing friends, and a Unicorn-loving little girl, I think it's time to revisit Ruby.

Chroicoragh, the Unicorn in my backyard, inspired me to write this book. Ruby is a 13-year-old girl, growing up in the middle-of-nowhere, Middle America. She might seem familiar to you. Here's my "elevator pitch":

Her parents are breaking up. The hunky farm boy down the road doesn't notice her. She's having strange dreams of hummingbirds, and all she can think about is getting a horse. But when she discovers a Unicorn in her neighbor's barn, Ruby Fortuna goes on the adventure of a lifetime.

An elevator pitch is something you could use if you ever are stuck in an elevator with, say, Faye Bender or Jennifer Laughran, or George Lucas, and they just happen to say: "Oh, you wrote a book? What's it about?" Then you give them your pitch, and by the time you are stepping off the elevator, they're shaking your hand and going, "Have your people call my people." Then 12 months later you are at the book release/movie premiere/Newbery Awards, saying, "Thank you, thank you, it all started with a serendipitous elevator ride..."But first, one must finish the book. :) Working on it! Until then, a teaser: 

RUBY AND THE UNICORN

Chapter 12

 Dodder’s Field sat on a low hill above the river. The small cemetery dated back to the days of the town’s founding fathers, and some of the limestone grave markers dated over 150 years old. Elm and walnut trees stood guard over peaceful grounds, seldom visited, but well-kept. Graceful stems embraced granite monuments of residents past.Moonlight shone down through the trees, giving the place an eerie otherworldly glister. Bad enough being in a cemetery at all hours of the night, but the strange glow trickling through branches and and reflecting off headstones made it seem they had stepped into another time. Though the air felt balmy, Ruby shivered as they entered the hallowed grounds. David looked around, scanning the shadows. Chroicoragh went forward, and sidestepped walking over a grave, out of respect for the mortal remains within.Ruby, taking note of the plots, looked down and realized her boots and legs were not getting wet anymore from rain soaked grass.“Hey, look. It’s dry here,” she said, and startled herself by how loud her voice sounded in the stillness of the graveyard.David paused to glance around him.“Huh, you’re right. Must not’ve rained here. That’s weird.” He was careful to use a more subdued voice.“Really weird,” stated Ruby, “especially seeing as how big that storm was.”“So,” David began, “this all started with a hummingbird?”“I think so,” Ruby replied.The two had been discussing the day’s events, and David was still trying to put the pieces together. Ruby had told him about her dream and then seeing the hummingbird when she woke up, and then later, in Molly’s barn, with Chroicoragh. And she told him all about the storm, and the lightning, and discovering the Unicorn.When David had asked her why she’d been out at Molly’s in the storm, she told him about her parents’ fight, and that creep, Mr. Miller, and of the ruined photograph. She didn’t say anything about seeing Bobby and Missy and the other kids in the car. She’d been embarrassed and humiliated, and besides which, she didn’t want her best friend David to know she had a crush on Bobby, his bossy big brother.  It would’ve been too weird.“Well, I wonder what the bird has to do with any of it,” David pondered.“I don’t know,” said Ruby, “I never really thought about it. I just thought it was strange to see a hummingbird. Have you ever seen one around here? My grandparents had some around their ranch out west, but I’ve never never seen one here.”“Nope, me neither. Why don’t you ask her?” David said, thumbing in Chroicoragh’s direction.Ruby perked. The thought hadn’t occurred to her, and she’d almost forgotten about her ability to communicate with the Unicorn, since the creature hadn’t spoken to her since they’d left David’s house. Chroicoragh seemed to be aware of Ruby’s thoughts, because the girl then heard the soft lilting voice in her head:Child, sometimes ‘tis better to listen than to speak.“What do you mean?” Asked Ruby.The boy has a good heart, he will suit us well on our path. As we walked, I did not interrupt your tale so that I may better attend to the essence of your companion. “Where your mouth may make you blind, your ears may make you see” she quoted. “What’s that from? It sounds familiar,” Ruby asked.‘Tis wisdom of the Ancients, replied Chroicoragh, passing a large lichen-covered mausoleum.“Where your mouth may make you blind, your ears may make you see?”“What?” Said David.Ruby repeated the phrase, and pushed a fern out of her way.“What does that mean?” He asked.It is a lesson. Remember it well,  the mare cautioned.“I’m not sure,” started Ruby, “but I think it’s the same thing my dad says to me sometimes when I’m arguing with him. Only he says it ‘Sit down and shut up.’”Yes. One cannot hear what he speaks over. “Anyway, Chroicoragh, do you know anything about the hummingbird?”Dappled moon-shadows darted grey and white on the soft grass as they walked, and shafts of shimmery light stood like columns in a cathedral.Humming bird? The mare questioned. What is a ‘humming-bird’?“The little bird that was flying around your head today, in Molly’s barn.”I saw only the sprite, Chroicoragh answered.“Sprite?” Said Ruby.“Sprite?” echoed David, “you mean like 7-Up? Ouch!” he said. He had run into a blackberry bush, and its thorny brambles stuck to his shirt.“No, ssh,” said Ruby to David, “I’m trying to hear her.”“What Sprite? Like a fairy?” Asked Ruby.“Oh, yeah,” said David to himself, “shoulda known that. Duh.”One of the fair folk, yes, Child. Siofran, Lord Chamberlain of the High Court. A wood-sprite; an honorable breed.“Oh. Sounds important.”Yes. Very important, Chroicoragh replied, but said no more.Ruby noticed they had almost reached the far edge of the cemetery. She turned to David.“Where did you see it? The fairy ring.”He got his bearings.“Well, there’s the Pierces’ plot, over here, and the Ayers monument is that way...where’s the tree with the ‘No Hunting’ sign? It marks the back of Schultz’s property. That’s where the fence is down and you can cut through.”“How’d you find this place anyway?” Ruby asked him.“Debbie showed me.”“Debbie Twist?” Ruby said, in disgust.“Yeah. Old Schultz is their grandpa. What?” He asked, noticing the look on Ruby’s face.“Ew. I don’t see why you guys are always hanging around those Twists. I can’t stand them. They’re so phony,” Ruby tilted her chin up in defense.“Oh, come on, Debbie and Missy aren’t that bad. Besides, our parents have been friends forever. We’re just used to seeing them, that’s all. Oh, there it is,” he said, heading for a large elm, an old metal sign nailed to it side, and rusty barbed wire enveloped in its skin. The fence had deteriorated enough to let the three of them pass through, single file. First David, then Ruby, and Chroicoragh following behind.As Ruby stepped from the sanctuary of the graveyard to the woods beyond, she thought she heard light notes of laughter, like a giggle.She trailed after David as he wound his way through the overgrowth, backtracking and correcting his path along  the way, studying the trees around him, trying to find a particular spot.We are near, Ruby heard Chroicoragh’s voice, but there are others.“Others?” Ruby stopped, and reached out to grab David’s shirt, “wait up.”He stopped, and the tinkle of laughter floated to them again.“Wait a minute,” David said, “that’s where it is. But who’s over there? Did you hear that?” He asked Ruby.She nodded, holding her finger to her lips in a “ssh” motion. Then she waved her hand, pushing toward the ground, signaling to go slow. She wanted to find out whoever was in the woods before letting her own presence be known, and especially didn’t want any strangers seeing two kids out by the cemetery at night with a Unicorn. Try explaining that, she thought.With that thought in Ruby’s mind, Chroicoragh understood, and hung back just enough to be able to see the children, without being seen herself.David inched forward, crouching low behind ferns, and a fallen tree. Ruby crept up beside him, and peered into the grove.A circle of oak trees formed the border of a clearing, carpeted with thick moss. In the moss dotted with acorns, another perfect circle formed, a ring made of hundreds of mushrooms,  some tall, some short, broad and button-like. Ruby could see why they called it a Fairy Ring. The moonlight within the ring flickered and shimmered like glitter in one of her grandma’s snow-globes. Mysterious and magical, it drew her in.The sound of voices reminded her to remain cautious, and she pulled her focus away from the ring. Across the clearing on the opposite edge near the trees, lay a young couple canoodling on an old blanket. The boy wore cut off shorts, and tube socks. He kissed the girl, oblivious to anything else, and his hand groped beneath her blouse. Suddenly Ruby’s face felt warm. She avoided looking over at David, afraid he would notice her spying, even though she knew he saw the same thing.The girl arched her back, and spoke softly. A ray of light illuminated the view, and Ruby’s heart caught in her throat.Missy Twist....and Bobby.

END OF CHAPTER 12

I'm kind of scared to be putting this out there, so be gentle with me. Let me know what you think in the comments.Would YOU keep reading?

Self Portrait, With Horse

Taking pictures of horses: Hard. (Because they never stand still)Taking pictures of yourself: Hard. (Because your arms are too short and you haven't quite perfected the social media self-portrait that most teen girls can do in their sleep nowadays, and you are a big middle-aged dork.)Taking pictures of yourself AND your horses? Well now that's just downright comical. I kept laughing because they stick their big noses in the way. (my horses are just as dorky as I am)My results:

wordpress, in all their wisdom has done another update, and I haven't figured out how to fix this photo gallery. hang in there. I'll get it fixed :)thanks for laughing along,Heidi

Free Publicity? No Way! (Ok, but you have to buy me shoes)

If you have a blog, website, are a newly published author or some other type of quasi-professional needing free publicity, and would like your farm or book or thing featured, please send your website and email address to: wcgypsy(at)me.com or use contact form below. You will be contacted when space becomes available. I am also interested in emerging artists, and would be happy to consider adding a "gallery" category to the blog.If you have a strong dislike for swearing and brutal honesty, you probably won't like my site.Writers: If you have an idea for a guest post, please send me a brief pitch and a link to your blog so I can see what your writing is like. With your post, you will get a link back to your site, social media promotion for the week it is posted and I expect the same from you. We help each other out. wcgypsy(at)me.com Make sure your idea fits in my blog somehow. No religion-themed writing accepted.Only those with a website or blog will be considered. (If all you have is a Facebook fan page, step up your game and get serious. Facebook is essential for social media, but it does not substitute for your own website. There are tons of free hosting platforms. I recommend Wordpress.com or Tumblr. My site is run on a self-hosted Wordpress.org platform which I don't recommend unless you: 1. really know your computer shit, in which case you already know about wordpress.org; or, 2. you are completely crazy, like me.) (Update: I no longer use wordpress.org for this site, but wordpress.com. I use Squarespace for my art portfolio site.)I do not do paid promotions, I recommend things that I personally like and do not hire out my opinion. Anything and everything on my site that links to another site is either because it is information that I myself find useful; or I am giving credit to a source; or I know the author or business owner PERSONALLY and by talking about their craft, service or linking to their business, I am giving them my personal support.If you like what you read or would like to thank me for linking to you or talking about you, Please reciprocate by sending people to my site.Here is a link: http://westceltgypsy.com(To share a link, right-click on the link, choose "copy" from the drop-down menu, open up a new email message, and in the body of the message, right-click again, choose "paste" from the drop-down menu, and a copy of the link should appear. Then put "Check out this awesome website!" in the subject line, and mail it to as many people as you know. You can also paste the link into your facebook status or tweet about it or PIN ALL THE THINGS!)Also, I wear size 7 ½ shoes.

 [contact-form subject="I want free publicity, and BTW, your blog rocks." to="wcgypsy@me.com"] [contact-field label="Name" type="name" required="true" /] [contact-field label="Email (will remain private)" type="email" required="true" /] [contact-field label="Website" type="url" /] [contact-field label="Comment" type="textarea" required="true" /] [/contact-form]

Bear with me

So...thank you to my readers. It's been almost two months since my last post, and I can see by my stats that I still have readers, so, really - Thank You.

I have been working on my latest post for a while - it's a tough one, and not quite ready. But I felt I should at least check in with you and give you something. I don't know why...like your lives are so empty and meaningless with out my mindless blathering...

The past month has been filled with life-altering change. One  I'll address later but the other (and both changes happened within a 24-hour period of each other) is that I am now a full-time college student. I'll be talking a lot about that, but in the meantime, until the new post is ready I thought I'd give you a few things to read.For my bookish readers, I must recommend two sites by my very dear friends and critique partners. (If you don't know what a critique partner is: they are the very special people who you somehow trust enough to read your precious, precious manuscript-in-progress and love it when they point out to you the crappy parts that need fixing.)PBookCrazy.com - Crazy about Picture Books

 My friend Dawn is a picture book NUT, and will soon have her own manuscript gracing many an elementary students' shelves. Her writing is so full of energy, character, and heart that kids will love it as much as Mo Willems or even Dr. Seuss. This is her ode to her chosen medium.RMcCormackWrites.blogspot.com - Rhonda McCormack's author siteYou first met my friend Rhonda in my interview here. She is really getting some steam underway with the release of her YA mystery, Wildflowers. If you haven't stopped by her site yet, now's a good time, because she's having a giveaway! Check it out.And if you're new to my site, I thought I'd pull a few favorites from the archives:Focus, in which I discuss the useless information that may one day come in handy if you're ever on Jeopardy.

Colicky Babies and Rookie Mistakes, in which I discuss horse colic, and show an embarrassing photo of myself, circa 1982.

What's in a Name? Part I, in which I correlate Brock Lesnar, Maddox Jolie-Pitt, the storybook Heidi, and a vintage perfume commercial.No, really.So, enjoy reading, and bear with me. I'll have something new soon.Thanks for stopping by.Heidi 

All Horses

A little artwork for you to share. (Facebook, Twitter, tumblr, etc)(Please link back, thx!)

Foggy morning, December

We finally had a good soaking rain. It has been over 3 months since we had any precipitation, and the whole place - the house, the yard, the whole city for that matter, had been covered in layers of dry gritty dust. There was a lifeless pallor over everything, keeping the color and vitality of the desert hidden from view.While everyone in the rest of the country gets hammered by storms, here's us:

Not that I'm asking for a hurricane (my heart goes out to everyone affected by Sandy), but a few drops here and there would be nice. Below is a lovely photo of what we Phoenicians call "the brown cloud," caused by ozone: "Ozone is an invisible gas created when other pollutants in the air - such as those created by combustion- are heated by the sun." Just another day for us:

And then I'm sure this doesn't help the dust situation - summer dust storms known as Haboobs. (Yes that really is what they are called, and yes, they really do look this big and freaky)

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrcVqtmugj8]

So when we hear we are getting rain after almost 4 months, we kinda freak out. All the weather people have their sleeves rolled up, the maps are flashing all over the place, and weather is the LEAD STORY.

What is just an average storm in any other part of the country is an event for us. I mean, it didn't just rain...it rained for two whole days!! 

I loved it.

Sat in my jammies drinking coffee all Saturday morning, then actually got my rain jacket out of the closet (yes, it had DUST on it!), and went out Christmas shopping.

In the rain!

It was kind of exciting. Everyone had jackets and/or hats, and some even had this fancy type of nylon water shield that they would hold over head. You see them a lot in British shows.

But the cool this was, everyone was in a good mood. And mellow. No grumpiness, obnoxious yapping or complaining...just cool, you know? The rainy day vibe.

The horses loved it, too. They stood out there, just soaking it in, and getting good and muddy.

And then I woke up Sunday morning, to

FOG.

Let's see what else we can find around the ol' place...

Thanks for hanging out with me on my foggy desert morning! I hope you are enjoying some crisp fresh air, wherever you are.

Interview with Gypsy Vanner Founder Dennis Thompson

Recently, I posted photos of a cart for sale at a local furniture store, and asked readers if they knew anything about it. Now, I kinda still live in this little bubble of "nobody really reads my blog, right?" Even though I get hundreds of hits, I don't really know who reads it, or if they are all just hits from people looking for random horse pictures, copying them to their tumblr pages, and moving on without reading. I still think it's just my parents.So I was pleasantly surprised when I received an email from some dude, telling me that the cart I found is what's called a "Turkish Gypsy Potter's Cart." The message went on to tell me that I had some errors on my "What is a Gypsy Horse" page, about the history of the breed, the different names, etc.So I was all like, "Who does this guy think he is, telling me my carefully written and researched paper is all wrong?"Dennis Thompson, that's who.Gulp.Humble pie, anyone?Yeah, this dude who just sent me an email because he read something I wrote and wanted to comment on it, is probably the biggest expert on Gypsy Horses in the U.S.Why, you ask?He brought them here.Dennis and his late wife, Cindy were on a business trip in England when they came across what would be the first Gypsy Vanner horse, a stallion named Cushti Bok. Read all about their discovery here. After four years, many trips back and forth to England and Wales, meeting the Gypsies and immersing themselves in their culture, Dennis and Cindy brought the first Gypsy Vanners to America, and founded the Gypsy Vanner Horse Society. Cushti Bok (meaning "Good Luck" in the Romani language) became the first horse in the registry.This tale is well documented, and I had read it before. I have always been blown away by their story. Dennis and Cindy's love for horses, their non-judgmental curiosity of the Roma culture, and their dedication in establishing a new breed registry here in the states - it could be a novel. (Or at least an All Creatures Great and Small type PBS/BBC series. Come on. That idea is gold. Why am I not a TV producer??)But besides the original tale, I really didn't know much about the Thompsons. I'm always wanting to know more. Someone recently told me that I have the "inquirer" default - always asking questions. But without questions, how do you get answers?Over the past few years, looking for lots of answers about Gypsy Horses, I have done so much reading. I find out about the breed: where they came from; proper conformation; stallions; what to do when your horse gets scratches; all sorts of things. And you end up visiting tons and tons of breeder websites. They will show you their stallions, mares, foals, and even show you around the barn sometimes. But for whatever reason, people remove their personality from their business presence on the web. A big disservice to potential clients, if you ask me.The whole reason you visit the indie bookstore before you go to Barnes & Noble is because you like the store owners, and want to support them. Or your town's ancient hardware store over Home Depot. When you are buying a horse—a living, breathing piece of inventory, who can actually take on aspects of its owner's personality—why wouldn't you want to know more about them?After perusing a farm's website, I'm always left wondering, how did you get into horses? Do you train them yourself? Does your whole family get into it? Where do you live? Do you like Star Wars? Tell me about YOU.This is pretty much the question I posed to Mr. Thompson (okay, maybe not the Star Wars bit), after thanking him for his comment and his offer to help me correct my heinous misinformation. (Yes, it's HEINOUS! I hate being wrong. If you'd like to read the revised version of my "What is a Gypsy Horse" page, click here.) And he was kind enough to oblige.

Dennis Thompson Interview

• Thank you for allowing me to interview you!

Hello Heidi, it is my pleasure. It has been seventeen years since my late wife and I brought the first Gypsy Vanner Horses to North America and people still have many questions about the Vanner breed.

• Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I was born in Indiana to a father who was an educator and a mother who owned the first McDonalds in America with a hitching post—yes it was in Indiana Amish country. I was an extreme animal lover as a child with 150 rabbits, pet skunks, snakes, you name it I had it. They called me The Guppy God in grade school because I had 50 aquariums in my home and would take Mason jars of baby Guppies to school to sell for 5 cents each. A pet store that I frequented ask me to work for them when I was a teenager. That store was owned by Ed Lowe, the man who invented Kitty Litter. I would wind up managing his stores and then spent the rest of my adult career in the animal products industry designing products for animals and setting up distribution in the animal products industry world wide. I currently live in Ocala Florida on my farm called Gypsy Gold.

• What is the first horse you remember? How did this horse affect you?

Horses have been my passion for my entire life, first the neighbor's Shetland Ponies, then another neighbor's paint horse named Lady and then my own American Quarter Horse named Presto Dial, a son of the late, great Johnny Dial.

• Did you come from a horse family?

I was the first [in my family] to have a passion for horses and all animals.

• How long was it before you were able to have your own horse?

In the fifties, my neighbor had Shetland Ponies he kept in an apple orchard and I had a large Willow tree in my front yard.  I would fashion bridles from the willow branches and ride the ponies in the orchard until they made a mad dash for the barn and my reins broke. That happened over and over so the passion was bigger than the pain.

• Tell us about YOUR first horse.

Presto, was a very beautiful classic looking Quarter horse. The kind that might be referred to as a foundation Quarter Horse today. The Quarter Horse breed has changed.  I hope the Vanner breed does not do the same.

• How did you find out about Gypsy Horses?

My late wife and I discovered the Gypsy Vanner Horse . Stimulated by the look of one stallion standing in a farmer's field in England, we discovered that the horse belonged to a Traveler and that he had a band of mares that looked just like this stallion that he kept hidden. We would spend that day in a Gypsy camp, become the first Americans to ever attend Appleby Horse Fair with the sole intention of understanding Gypsies and their horses. We would trace the genetic history of that stallion through three countries, uncover the unknown vision he was born from, trace that vision back to two stallions that existed soon after World War II (Sonny Mays and The Coal Horse), Identify most of the great stallions and mares that developed over the next 60 years, name the breed and established the first breed registry in the world for a selectively bred horse developed by Gypsies, The Gypsy Vanner Horse Society.

• Gypsies are not an inexpensive breed. What about these horses "sold" you on the idea of owning one?

If I say Gypsy horse, the statement about not being expensive is true, if I say Gypsy Vanner Horse the statement is false.A very high percentage (possibly 80%) of the horses raised by Gypsies (Gypsy horses) are not a breed, they are a type of horse of unknown heritage and often have smooth-legged genetics, like Connemara or Irish Draft.The Gypsy Vanner Horse or Vanner is a specific looking horse born from a vision to create the perfect caravan horse.The look is that of a small Shire with more feather, more color and a sweeter head; an average-size horse with a draft horse body.Hair is an additive or cumulative gene (recessive), so nothing but hairy-legged horses developed the Vanner breed.  The Dales Pony in the opinion of Fred Walker (King of the Coloured Horses) was paramount in the breed's development (not the Fells Pony).The Dales brought down the size, kept the feather and heavy bone and put the sweet head on them.Yes, some have Fells Pony in them but those have a lighter body look and are therefore not the breed's bulls-eye genetic or look.You can buy a Gypsy horse colt for 100 BPS, a Vanner colt will cost ten to 100 times that. Horses raised by Gypsies of unknown heritage are called Trade Horses, Export Horses, Knacker Horses or Coloured Riding Horses and are raised as a commodity-based animal for the restaurant business in Belgium, Holland, and France.All horses raised by Gypsies were called Coloured Horses or Coloured Cobs, nothing else,  there was no differentiation between the breed and the type. Gypsy Vanner Horse is the first name in the world to separate the breed from the type, that is why the name Vanner is so important—it holds the breed's vision and promise.The best and most expensive horses Gypsies raise (their breed) are hidden.If you had five dollars you would leave it on the kitchen table. If you had ten thousand dollars you would hide it. The Vanner breed is often hidden, while common horses raised by Gypsies are not.

• How/when did you decide to implement a breeding program, and what do you look for in a stallion or broodmare?

I am the first breeder in North America and imported the first two stallions and fourteen mares.  I breed for the same vision Gypsies had for their perfect caravan horse or Vanner (a horse suitable to pull a caravan in the English Chambers Dictionary) Heavy hips, broad chest, short back, heavy flat bone (at the knee) feather that starts at the knee in the front and hock in the back that covers the front of the hooves.  (Breed standard)

• Do you have a trainer, or do it yourself?

I hire trainers who embrace modern techniques.

• Do you attend shows?

I did in the beginning but not anymore. It is very common for horses who win at shows to trace back to the original sixteen horses my late wife Cindy and I brought to America.

• What riding or driving disciplines do you prefer? (western, dressage, carriage driving, etc.)

I wrote the mission statement of the GVHS and in that mission it talks about how the perfect caravan horse is suitable for any number of equine disciplines. That was the only thing about the mission I did not have great passion about. To my surprise they are amazingly versatile and can do anything, including jump. I own Breyer and Vogue model, The Gypsy King. He was trained in the art of Dressage by an eighty + time USDA champion, gold medalist and Olympic contender for the Olympics in China for 2008. She called me just before the World Equestrian Games at the Kentucky Horse Park and said "He's one of the most extraordinary horses of any breed I have ever ridden in my life"Quite a statement from a rider of her caliber! Yes, they can do anything.

• Do your horses interact with the public?

I give tours to as many as 100 people per week, those people all interact with the horses. I coined the phrase "Golden Retriever With Hooves" and they certainly are. If you would like, one day I will expand on why I believe their temperament is in their feather.   

• I Would LOVE to hear more about that!

• What's next for your farm?

The process of trying to establish a breed in the age of the Internet is challenging.  I would like to create a better way for breeds to maintain the look and temperament (the pure vision) they were born from.History tells us that breeds change or why would there be two Morgan Horses, why doesn't the Quarter Horse look the same, why does a German Shepherd walk up hill, the list goes on and on.I have pondered why and have identified the problem and the solution.  I want the Gypsies Vanner Horse to keep its magic forever.Me too, Dennis. I hope you, and we as members, are able to keep Fred Walker's dream alive. Thanks so much to you and Cindy for all of your tireless efforts in bringing this special horse to America, and for maintaining the breed standards set by the originators of the breed, the Gypsies.OK so I guess more than just my parents read my blog. :)Thanks Dennis!Here's another recent article with Dennis going further into the breed's history.Please feel free to use the comment form below, and thanks for reading.

Authentic Gypsy Dray Cart For Sale

I went to the AZ State Dressage Championships yesterday to hang out with my friend Peggy and cheer on her stallion, Eclipse:Eclipse and Anne did great and placed in their class. He was the only Gypsy competing, and although there seems to be a bit of prejudice on the part of some of the Warmblood crowd against a short stocky horse competing in  a sport designed for the lean & lanky, most people loved seeing him there. He definitely draws a crowd, and comparatively is so. much. calmer. than his hot-blooded cohorts, you'd never guess by his demeanor that he is (definitely!) a stallion. Nothing phases him. In fact, Peggy was telling me a story about bathing him in the wash rack at home, when a big branch of her Palo Verde tree broke off with a huge crack, and part of it landed on Eclipse's head. He didn't even flinch; just thought he'd gotten an early lunch delivery and started munching away. That's what makes Gypsy horses so AWESOME. :)Anywho, I was on my way home and saw a furniture store having a going out of business sale, so I thought I'd check it out. They are one of those places that just buys containers full of stuff from all over the world, and look what they have - an authentic antique gypsy cart! Pretty cool, huh? I couldn't believe it. They have it marked at a stupidly high price and I told the lady they're crazy if they think they're going to get that much for it. But I still think its cool. The real deal.Personally, I think it's very negotiable. If you are interested, contact me and I will put you in touch with the salesperson.Here are the pics. Click the images below to go through the slideshow. I tried to get as many shots as I could but just using my iphone in poor lighting makes for less-than-stellar images. Try to look closely, though - there is so much detail, the decorative painting, all kinds of little iron finials, and mechanical parts. It even has the shafts intact. There is some type of writing on the back, but I have no idea what language it is, and the store does not know the country of origin. My guess is Romania. Any guesses? Leave a comment! At any rate, it's interesting just to be able to see a piece of history.Have a great week! xo Heidi

  

Gypsy Stallion Showcase (and) Why Am I Selling My Horse?

-- NEWS! I can now offer a FREE Breeding as part of Keira's sale! See her page for more info! --

We are currently downsizing our herd—meaning, we are going from two horses to one :) Keira is for sale. I hope to find her a happy, loving, forever home, hopefully one with lots of little girls to pet her and brush her and put ribbons in her hair.The reasons we are down-sizing are many, but it has nothing to do with WANTING to sell Keira. I love her to pieces, and it will break my heart to see her go. But our horse journey has changed drastically in the past 7 years, since Chroicoragh first trotted into our lives. Back then, we had dreams of building a modest herd,  taking them to all-breed shows; entering them in the Parada del Sol  and other parades; training them to drive a cart; and eventually have our own breeding stallion and move to a 200-acre farm somewhere and happily live out our days breeding adorable Gypsy Horse babies.But then the economy took a dump, we came very close to losing our house, like many Americans, and to top it off, we ended up having a very long, expensive, and complicated battle with the school district in regards to my youngest son.That fight, for the most part, is now done. I will not go into details here and now, but I may at a later date, and hopefully a much more public format. They say the pen is mightier than the sword...and I would LOVE to slay some public school dragons. Anywho...our lives, jobs, and family have gone in a different direction than when we started. And now with our oldest son in college (how is that friggin possible?? I'm not nearly old enough to have a kid in college!), our youngest finally in high school, and with my husband and I looking down the road to our not-too-distant future, some rearranging and simplifying is in order.And I wish I could say it had nothing to do with finances. We are trying our best to provide our kids with an education that they will not have to be paying for in the form of student loans for the next 30 years. Our oldest is pursuing a degree in International Business with a double minor in Spanish and German. His dream job is to work for Porsche, BMW, or some big fancy car company. (He loves horses, too, as long as they are under the hood!) He will be headed to Germany in the spring to fulfill his study abroad requirement for his degree, and hopes to land an internship at one of the car companies while he's there. (I know, he's crazy smart and motivated, neither of which he gets from me)Since I left my job, my current focus is to finish my book, and then find some sort of career that will help prepare us for our golden years. Now, ideally, this job will be promoting and selling my book and going on international book tours (there's a little Law of Attraction for you!). But it never hurts to have more than one feather in your cap, so I am preparing myself to either A.) Go back to school and get my degree, or B.) Pursue another career to be named at a later date. If it's one thing I've learned, it's that after 16+ years of being a stay-at-home mom, then 3+ years of schlepping magazines, you are pretty much screwed when it comes to looking for a real job. I have no degree, no skills, no experience; I must be a flipping idiot. How do I even make it through the day?So, back to the point...what was my point again? We are going through lots of changes around here. But just because we will be a one-horse-herd family, doesn't mean I haven't stopped dreaming about my 200-acre Gypsy Horse farm with lots of babies and a beautiful stallion! I mean, going back to my whole LoA thing, when I sell my book, and get back from book tour, I might need to invest my earnings in some real estate, right?So, let's just go with it! I've just gotten back from my months-long excursion, traveling the world, and signing lots of copies of my book (yes it can happen! here's my inspiration). I just sold the movie rights to Harvey Weinstein, and I've got to invest my big check so Uncle Sam doesn't take it all.

Time to go stallion shopping!

If I could stock my stable with a dream-boy lineup, this is who I would pick:(click on stallion's NAME to go to their home pages)

Platinum:

I've already proclaimed my love for this guy. I believe he's been sold, but have no idea where he ended up. If you know, please reply below!

♘ ♘ ♘

The Midget Stallion:

I've had a crush on him for a long time, and finally got to meet him this summer in Tennessee. He's absolutely adorable in person:I wish I could have gotten some good photos of him, but it had been raining for days and all the big boys were in their stalls. He throws gorgeous foals, and I got to see some of the cuties.

♘ ♘ ♘

Silky Boy:

Here is Keira's ½ brother, Silky Boy, so named because his hair is so soft and silky, just like Keira's. A top stallion in England. He and Keira are both sired by Lenny's Horse.

♘ ♘ ♘

Sundance Kid:

Ummm...Hello? I think if Brad Pitt were a Gypsy, he would look like this. If I was 12 again, I'd want this poster on my wall.

 ♘ ♘ ♘

The Viking:

Can you say "Presence?" I think if The Viking and Chroicoragh had a baby, it would literally glow.

 ♘ ♘ ♘

Darrig:

Darrig is one of those horses. He just has some sort of personality - I have no idea why I like him so much, I just do. Must be that Gypsy magic. He's a gorgeous chestnut and he's built like a tank.

♘ ♘ ♘

 Blue Bobbi:

Look at this guy! I think I have a new crush...♡

♘ ♘ ♘

The Hustler:

The Hustler is another awesome stallion imported from Clononeen farms. I just love his coloring.

 ♘ ♘ ♘

Starbuck:

 Umm....yeah, do I even need to say anything about this stallion? I mean I think if Sundance Kid is the Brad Pitt of Gypsy Horses, then Starbuck must be the George Clooney. And I loooves me some George Clooney... :)

♘ ♘ ♘

Here are a few that are new to me, but I could easily fall in love with them.

Sir:

 Sir has a beautiful head, nice conformation and hair. A bit of a sleeper, I hadn't heard of him before this post but I have a feeling he'll have a great career.

 ♘ ♘ ♘

Lucky

If I had to guess, I'd say Lucky got his name from the lucky "Gypsy Kiss" on his forehead. A Gypsy Kiss is a small dark spot in the blaze of a white faced horse. Please click on his picture to see more photos on his page.

♘ ♘ ♘

Sir Tristan:

He is just too pretty! Two blue eyes, too! He throws lovely foals.

♘ ♘ ♘

Phantom Knight:

Phantom Knight, a very unusual colored Silver Dapple stallion owned by Mike Nenni in Florida.It's very easy to get distracted by a horse's color, but if you look beyond that—on each of these wonderful stallions—you will see the best in conformation. A Gypsy Horse breeder will breed first for temperament, next for conformation, hair and the gorgeous coloring is just the icing on the cake.If you are in the market for stallion service for your mares, or are simply in the market for  Gypsy Horse in general, I highly suggest visiting some of these stallions' homes on the web. RESEARCH. Look at bloodlines, previous foals, and the quality of the farm's broodmares.

♘ ♘ ♘

Speaking of icing on the cake, I am excited to announce that as part of Keira's sale, I can offer one FREE BREEDING to either of these two gorgeous stallions! Thanks to Peggy and Steve Owen of Superstition Foothills Ranch for this incredible opportunity!

Please see Keira's page for more info.

♘ ♘ ♘

And, finally, my all-time favorite, the AMAZING Lloyds, also owned by Michael Vines:Lloyds is attributed to be Chroicoragh's sire. The DNA tests came back "unconfirmed." Which either means A.) The DNA results were simply incorrect (this has happened before - someone told me that a mare that she bred herself -well, not herself, ha ha - came back with inconclusive DNA results, and have heard other similar stories); or B.) A colt of Lloyds covered Chroicoragh's dam while out to pasture, which has also happened before. In England and Ireland, it is common to turn out a stallion with a band of broodmares, and let nature take its course. If there are young colts in the bunch who decide to take a turn, they can sometimes impregnate the mare.Either way, I'm happy with Chroicoragh, I don't care who her sire is. I'm still convinced it's Lloyds - she and all of her siblings inherited his gorgeous head - I just see too much resemblance there to think otherwise:When I saw the filly on the left, I did a double take - I thought it was a photo of Chroicoragh that I hadn't seen before. Like I said, it doesn't matter to me if Chroicoragh's sire is Tony the Tiger, I love her all the same.Good luck finding YOUR dream horse! I know I left out many many other great stallions, but I only have so much time! These guys are my personal favorites.Which one is yours? Leave a comment below, I love hearing from you!Thanks for reading,Heidi

P.S. for more great photos, please visit Elizabeth Sescilla's Flickr feed.

Cool Gypsy Vanner Video

Here is a really cool video I found on YouTube of Gypsy Vanner horses doing what they do best - driving! I would love to see Keira go to a driving home!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFUcE15wU-o&feature=relatedEnjoy!

Meet the Writer - Anna Questerly

An author interview on the craft of writing.Featured Writer: Anna QuesterlyBooks: The Minstrel's Tale I, II, and IIIYoung adult historical fictionBuy Anna's books:

• Anna Questerly
• Anna on Amazon
• Dog Eared Pages Bookstore

Intro, from Heidi:I first met Anna at her bookstore, Dog Eared Pages Used Books in Phoenix. It is right next to the kitchen for the caterers where I work, and of course when I see a bookstore I have to go in and check it out. Let me just tell you, if you are ever in the north Phoenix area, and are in need of something to read, you HAVE to go into this store.Dog Eared Pages has that magical quality of looking very small on the outside, but when you walk in - look out! You could seriously get lost in here. And if you do, that's OK, because you will have PLENTY to read while you wait for the search parties. The atmosphere is complete with shelves and stacks of books that twist and turn and reach up to the ceiling. There are weekly discussion groups and writer events as well.When we got to talking and Anna told me about her first book, The Minstrel's Tale, I picked up a copy. I'm a huge fan of historical fiction, and Anna's book does not disappoint. Her characters take you on quite an adventure, weaving the tale of a contemporary American teen with fairy  tales, folklore, and little-known facts of 14th-century British monarchy.

On craft:

How old were you when you started writing? I attempted to write since I was about twelve years old. However, I was forty-six by the time I actually finished a story.Where do you write? I have a huge dining room table that I’ve taken over as a writing desk. It’s completely covered with manuscripts in different stages of editing, timelines, character sketches, maps, research material.When do you write? I get up early and write for a couple hours in the morning. Then I get two days off a week to work on my writing. Most of my editing and rewrites get done on those days.What helps you write—music, pictures, maps, journals, etc.—what gets you into that mindset?My magic book. My journal, is how I tap into the creativity, resolve plot issues, and develop characters. I write in it every day, yet I never reread it.What are some things that stand in your way? logistically as well as creatively?What do you do when you "hit a wall?" On days I just don’t want to write or can’t figure out where to go, I promise myself that if I just write 250 words, I’ll call it a day. I think taking the pressure off helps, because on those days I almost always manage to get over 1000 words done and have a good idea where I’m going from there.Do you use an outline—do you know exactly how the arc will play out—or do you just let the story develop as you write? If so, how do you outline? (notecards, etc.) I do a bit of both. Like a roadtrip, I want to know where I’m eventually going, but I like to leave the way open for fun adventures and fortuitous discoveries. I always know my endings before I begin, but leave the path open to get there. It’s more fun that way, since I want to know what’s going to happen next.How do you draft/revise? (i.e. do you just get it out in one big "dump," then revise, revise revise, or do you revise and edit as you go)I write my draft first and then revise-- forever it seemsWhat are some tools that you use? (reference guides, manuals, websites—a favorite pen/notebook/computer)I write historical fiction, so I use a lot of reference books, maps, andbiographies.Do you use critique groups?How did you find them? Yes, my critique partners have improved my writing immeasurably. I found them through writer’s groups at my bookstore, Dog-Eared Pages in Phoenix.

On your current project:

What kind of research did you do for this book? And, were you surprised by something that you learned in your research?I was surprised how much 14^th century politics resembles our current political/economical problems. For example; the Peasants Revolt in Britain was similar(although bloodier) to the Occupy Wall Street movement.How good did it feel to write that last line? Bittersweet. I am so happy to have finished, but I’m going to miss those characters.

On the business of publishing:

How did you find your agent/editor? Great question; I actually had to make my own editor. My daughter edits for a living and has been so helpful with my books. I trust her more than anyone else I can think of and probably wouldn’t have dared publish without her help.How has self-publishing shaped your career as a writer? OR What is your opinion of self-publishing? I love the ease of self-publishing. The more I learned of traditional publishing and the problems authors have with their rights, royalties, and marketing, the more certain I am self-publishing was for me. It’s more important than ever to have good editing when you go it alone.What can you share with our readers about marketing? (i.e. what, if any, support did you have from your publisher? Costs involved? Things that worked best/weren't worth it, etc.) The Kindle program that allows me to be paid for books borrowed has been great. I’d recommend it to any author.

About You:

What is a trick that you've learned along the way that has made the writing process easier? I can’t remember where I read it, but it’s one of my favorite lines. If you get a button chair (butt-in-chair), you can write.What writers inspire you? Tolkien, Twain, Dr. Seuss, Steven King, JK Rowling and so many moreWhat do you like to read for enjoyment?Historical fiction, fantasy, horror, sci-fi (pure escapism)We all know that learning from our mistakes is part of the process of becoming who we are. As a writer, what's one lesson you've learned that you would like to pass on to others? How to handle a critique. This was a huge lesson for me. One of my readers pointed out that I had a character in the story I hadn’t introduced. I argued and showed her where I had introduced him in the previous chapter. I was ready to discount her suggestion, thinking she hadn’t read it correctly. While I was discussing it with another writer, he said to me, “Maybe you didn’t make the character memorable enough.” This was a big wake up call. If something isn’t clear to the reader, you can’t blame the reader. As the author it’s my job to make things clear to my readers.What's next for you? Another series. This one will be present day. If Nancy Drew and Indiana Jones had a daughter wouldn’t that be a blast? That’s my main character for the new series.While reading Kris Tualla's book, Becoming and Authorpreneur; Navigating a 21st-Century Career in Publishing, I was pleasantly surprised to see her refer to you in her chapter on the importance of "branding." It must be an honor to be referred to by other authors!It is a wonderful feeling to be referred to by other authors. It’s always an honor to be recognized by one’s peers and Kris Tualla is an amazing author so it was special.Here are the books: The Minstrel’s TaleAmos Questerly, a wandering minstrel in fourteenth century Europe, takes on a mysterious young apprentice. But his new protégé, Richard, carries a deadly secret. A secret someone is willing to kill for.To reach safety they must earn their way to England by telling exciting stories of magical swords, princesses and dragons, while danger follows on their heels.By the time Amos learns Richard’s secret, it’s clear even England may not be safe. The two, trapped in an adventure as thrilling as any of the Minstrel’s tales, must follow a perilous path that leads straight to the royal palace.  The Minstrel's Tale IIThe Minstrel’s Tale continues…A boy with the power of a king.A wandering minstrel bound by an oath.A secret that unites them.When Minstrel Amos Questerly’s ten-year-old apprentice, Richard, ascends the throne of England, Amos soon finds himself entangled in royal affairs.Determined to return to his wandering ways, the minstrel instead finds himself drawn further into the king’s inner circle where powerful enemies conspire and scheme for control.The country at war, the treasury low, and the young king’s first decision triggers the roiling anger of England’s peasantry to erupt, and plunges London into a revolt that shakes the foundations of a nation.The Minstrel's Tale IIIThe Questerly saga continues...King Richard II, once a friend -- now a powerful enemy, refuses to release Minstrel Amos Questerly from the impregnable Tower of London.A daring plan to rescue Amos leads to more exciting adventures and incredible dangers in this thrilling conclusion to the Minstrel's Tale.

Anna can be found online:

• Anna Questerly
• Anna on Amazon
• Dog Eared Pages Bookstore
• Another great interview

Thanks for taking us on 3 amazing adventures, Anna! 

Desert Rain - a picture post

We have FINALLY gotten some much needed rain down here in the desert. It is making for some very humid don't-even-bother-straightening-your-hair days, but things have cooled off ever so slightly and the dust has been kept to a minimum.There is a certain smell that springs from newly damp desert ground, but I suppose it smells just as good as any other place when long overdue rains arrive. I actually put it into the first chapter of my book. Here's a peek:

The western sky was the kind of blue that comes after a cleansing summer rain, and the breeze still smelled of damp sage and pine. Leather reins lay slack in her fingers, resting on the saddlehorn in front of her. Closing her eyes, Ruby breathed in the beautiful day.

You'll have to wait to read more, but I'll try to pop in a few tidbits here and there. Until then, enjoy some recent photos of the girls (click images to enlarge):

For some more AMAZING Arizona photography, check out this local photographer's page.Thanks for reading,Heidi

Meet the Writer - Anne Tibbets

An author interview on the craft of writing.

Featured Writer: Anne Tibbets

Book: Shut Up, contemporary YA fiction (more info below)

Buy it:

• Amazon
• iTunes
• Nook

Intro, from Heidi:

As a new writer, one of the best how-to-be-a-writer sources I found is a fabulous series of author interviews by Steve Bertrand from WGN radio in Chicago. The podcast, Meet the Writers, is sponsored by Barnes & Noble and is available as a free download on iTunes.  There is a hefty archive and if you are curious about the art of writing, I highly recommend a listen.Inspired by Steve, and by my writer friends who are newly published, I thought I'd offer a "New Author" interview platform. Most of the authors that get on Steve's show have already done pretty well for themselves, but what about the newbies? The writers that have been dog-earing copies of The Writer's Market, attending conferences, furiously editing and revising, and telling their critique partners, "I owe you one"?And then, after all of the hard work, time, and countless pots of coffee, these writers finally nab that agent or editor. Something clicked! They got a YES! How exciting!!! Now the real work begins. They have to sell. This is quite possibly the hardest part, and why, if you know anyone who's ever written a book, you should buy a copy, if only to be supportive.Because I see firsthand how tough it is to get started, and because there are still so many of us trying to reach that first step into publication, I want to give my friends the opportunity to tell their stories. I'm being selfish, too, because this is also a way for me to learn all of their secrets...Muah ha ha ha!!So, for our very first Meet the New Writer, I'd like to introduce you to my friend Anne Tibbets. If you are a regular reader, you've heard me mention her before (we go back). She's an amazing writer, and—take note—has done an amazing job of using blogging, book bloggers, and social media to self-market her books.

Anne Tibbets:

On craft:

• How old were you when you started writing?

I started writing professionally in my twenties, although my earliest memory of writing was back in elementary school.  After I had graduated college with a degree in Theater, which is pretty useless in the “real world,” I decided I had done enough starving in college and had no desire to be a “starving artist,” so I moved to Los Angeles with the intent on becoming a screenwriter.  From what I’d heard, they actually made money.  I took odd jobs as secretaries and assistants, even a Page on The Price is Right at one point, and read books on screenwriting, took classes at UCLA Extension, and wrote and wrote and wrote.  Nothing I wrote on spec sold.  Not a one.  Eventually, after years of working in “the biz” I was hired as a writer’s assistant on a syndicated action hour and through the contacts I made there I sold a few scripts.  Soon thereafter I had children, and with their arrival I put my screenwriting career on permanent hold and after suffering through the first few years of toddler-hood, I tried my hat at writing children’s books, and through a lot of trial and error, eventually settled on Young Adult.

• Where do you write?

I have a desk in a downstairs bedroom in my house that we have deemed “The Office.”  I’ve tried writing elsewhere but it doesn’t work well.  I am determined to learn how to write while in public.  But, it takes practice.

• When do you write?

I do the bulk of my writing during the months of September through June while my kids are in school.  From 9 am until I can’t take it anymore, or 2:45 pm, whichever comes first.  During the summer months I work when the kids are at day camp and even hire a babysitter once a week to give me just a few hours of writing time, but they aren’t in camp every week so it’s very sporadic – I find if I don’t write, however, I go batty.  Summer is a very cranky time for me.

• What helps you write – music, pictures, maps, journals, etc, - what gets you into that mindset?

I wish I had a magic formula that works every time that would put me into the mindset to write, but I don’t.  I have Attention Deficit Disorder so the moment I find one thing that works I tend to get bored of it pretty quickly, so I’m forever trying new ways to creatively stimulate my mind.  I read a lot.  Almost constantly.  I listen to various kinds of music and will search for a “theme song” for each of the books I write. I find it helps to keep me grounded in the emotional tone of the piece.For Fantasy books I create maps and write out battle plans using chess pieces to signify characters so I can keep track of where they are during the battle, and I blog quite a bit about the process, as I am always trying to learn from my numerous mistakes.  I’ve tried just about everything, but the #1 thing that keeps me focused is coffee.  Lots of coffee, with flavored creamer and about a bucket full of sugar.

• What are some things that stand in your way? Logistically as well as creatively?

This is going to sound horrible, so I apologize in advance to my offspring, but my kids are my #1 obstacle to writing.  They sap my energy, they try my patience, they interrupt me every 6 minutes (I actually timed it one summer), and they demand my attention – it’s their job and they’re doing a bang up job of it.  However, if I didn’t have my kids I can’t say I would feel as powerfully as I do about my work, so it balances out.  A lack of time is my primary nemesis, and my secondary nemesis is my own distracted self.  I lack focus at times and this bites me in the butt constantly.

• What do you do when you “hit a wall?”

There are many writers out there that insist that in order to be at your peak you must write every day, even if it’s only a few words.  In my mind, writing every day is a recipe for burnout.  When I hit a wall, I take a few days off.  Sometimes, I’ll even take a week off.  I live life, I catch up on housework, I pay attention to my family, I regroup – and then, in a week or few days (depending), I start to feel recharged and I’m ready to go back to writing.  It works for me.  Forcing myself to write when I am so over it only leads to crappy writing and a lot of revision later, so it’s really best for me just to walk away and come back when I’m ready.

• Do you use an outline – do you know exactly how the arc will play out – or do you just let the story develop as you write? If so, how do you outline?  (notecards, etc.)

I always outline.  Always.  If I didn’t, I would have a hard time keeping on track, and that’s the truth.  I rather admire writers who can just sit down and let the story unfold but I need more focus than that to keep me grounded.  I usually use bullet points - this happens, then this happens, then this happens – I keep track of plot and character arcs.  But it occurs quite a few times while I’m writing that I realize there’s a “hole” in the outline where something is supposed to happen and there isn’t enough build up to it, or as I’m writing I realize it needs to go in a different direction, or that the character is supposed to be a nervous wreck by now and she’s only slightly bothered.  In that case, I’ll go back to the outline and rework it to see if the change fits with my original intention.  If it doesn’t, then I tend to stick to the outline.  It’s my lifeline, but it’s bendable.

• How do you draft/revise? (ie. Do you just get it out in one big “dump,” then revise, revise, revise, or do you revise and edit as you go?)

I’ve tried this both ways.  I’ve dumped an entire book out in one draft, and spent the next year revising it.  Others I have written a scene, revised, written another scene, revised both scenes, and then on and on.  I have yet to determine a solid structure with this.  It honestly depends on how it’s flowing.  First thing I do when I have time to write is I will try to work on new scenes, but if I find I’m stuck with the “dumping” process I’ll spend my writing time revising what I’ve got.  That’s just how I roll.

• What are some tools that you use? (reference guides, manuals, websites – a favorite pen/notebook/computer?)

On my desk sit my favorite computer, an old Mac laptop that overheats if I don’t use my cooling tray, my thesaurus, a dictionary, and a “word” book that lists every word in the English language.  (Psst, there are times when I’m like – “What’s that word, it starts with a ‘ste’…?” and I have to look it up!).  I Google a lot, I search the internet, I watch video clips on YouTube and I cruise book stores and Amazon.com for reference material.  And lately I’ve been trying a recording of a waterfall turned up so loud I can’t hear anything else, but the jury is still out on that particular tool.

• Do you use critique groups? How did you find them?

I have two YA writer buddies that are kind enough to read my work, when they have time. They give awesome notes, and I try to do the same for them.  Although that is technically a “Writers Group,” we are not organized, have no regular meeting times, or “rules,” so we don’t call ourselves a “group.”  We meet socially every now and then to shoot the breeze, and attend writer’s events together.  We met through SCBWI, which, if you are a children’s writer, you MUST join, it’s completely invaluable.

On your current project:

• What was your inspiration for this book?

Shut Up came to me while I was working on a YA Fantasy.  There was a crisis in my family and it called to mind several unpleasant memories that I had buried in the back of my brain from my childhood.  They haunted me for days.  In an effort to purge them, I wrote them down and put them away, but my mind would not let them go.  So I wrote down a few more, then a few more, then a whole lot of them.  Then I realized I had the outline of a book, but the memories by themselves were not solid enough to be an entire book, so I tweaked, twisted, warped and fictionalized it, and from that I ended up with the manuscript for Shut Up.

• What kind of research did you do for this book? And, were you surprised by something that you learned in your research?

Since Shut Up was based on my childhood, there wasn’t much in the way of research that I had to do.  I was there, and I knew most of what happened.  What I didn’t know, I would call my mother and ask her about.  However, after I had changed the book significantly I came to realize the characters had lives of their own and the main character was deeply depressed and suicidal, so I researched childhood depression, the treatment of it, and how the symptoms manifested.  If I was surprised by anything it was the fact that even though my mother knew I was writing a book about my childhood, she still answered my questions.

• How did it feel to write that last line?

I had a horrible time working on this book.  I wish I could say it wasn’t, but the subject matter of depression, is well, depressing.  I’d work for three weeks, stop a few weeks, and work again.  My emotions were all over the place and I often needed alone time to remind myself that I wasn’t Mary, the main character.  So, when I wrote that last line on the last revision on that last day, I cried with relief.

On the business of publishing:

• How did you find your agent/editor?

I found my agent the old fashioned way.  I wrote a book and I researched agents, and then I queried her.  She did not respond right away, but several months later, at which point she sent me a list of her notes on my manuscript and an offer of representation.  I loved her notes so much, and we got along so well on the phone, I accepted.  I am lucky to have her, her name is Bree Ogden and she’s at D4EO Literary, and she’s an absolute doll.

• Has self-publishing shaped your career as a writer?  What is your opinion of self-publishing?

This is a double-edged sword.  I know that if I hadn’t published Shut Up and my YA Fantasy The Beast Call with Premier Digital Publishing, which is in essence, a company that assists authors with self-publication, those books never would have gotten published at all otherwise, given that I had broken so many industry rules.  So, I wouldn’t have a career at all if I hadn’t done that.  However, getting the recognition in self-publishing is very, very difficult, especially now that anyone can self-publish.The market is flooded with tons of manuscripts and no matter how good, or bad, no one can voice an opinion about your work if they don’t even know it’s there.  Self-publishing isn’t hard, it’s getting the word out that’s hard.  And despite my 2,000+ followers on Facebook, and my 1,200+ followers on Twitter and my 13,000 hits on my blog – my sales figures continue to barely exist.  So, I’m a little bitter sweet when it comes to self-publishing, at the moment. As of now, I have not made back my investment, but there are a number of self-published authors who have.

• What can you share with our readers about marketing?  (ie. What, if any, support did you have from your publisher? Costs involved? Things that worked best/weren’t worth it, etc.)

When I published The Beast Call and later Shut Up with Premier Digital Publishing, the most marketing support I received was a blog post on the publisher website announcing the book release, and a Tweet.  That was all.  Every expense, every free copy sent to bloggers and reviewers, my PR firm, my press release, my blog hops, my giveaways, my advertisements on Facebook, JacketFlap and GoodReads, I paid for completely myself.  For a small digital and Print-on-Demand publisher, this is not abnormal.The best things that worked (for me) were the blog hops.  If you are an author and you are invited to participate in a blog hop – do!  Make the time.  GoodReads ads are also cheap and effective, whereas Facebook ads will get you ‘Liked’ but does not generate sales.   Twitter is fun but not an effective marketing tool unless you are attempting to drum up attention amongst the book blogging community.  The only thing I haven’t tried is purchasing print ads in newspapers and magazines, and only because it is very expensive.

About You:

• What is a trick that you’ve learned along the way that has made the writing process easier?

There’s a trick to make it easier?  Ha!  When you figure it out will you tell me?  The only “trick” I can think of is to write something you love.  If you are only writing a certain story because you think it will be popular and sell lots of books then you will get creatively blocked and have a hard time writing the book.  Write a story you love, and it flows easier.  At least, it does for me.

• What writers inspire you?

This is going to sound smug and a little stuck up, but my answer is, “not many.”  I’m not the kind of person who buys into the ‘celebrity’ aspect of the business.  Yes, I loved the Harry Potter series and I think J.K. Rowling is an awesome writer, and would I like to sit with her and have a conversation about process, absolutely!  But, would I ask for her autograph and take my picture with her?  Probably not.  It seems like an awful invasion of her personal space and she’s just a human being, like the rest of us.  I positively LOVED The Book Thief, but if I met Markus Zusak, I don’t think I’d turn to jelly.  I love his work, not him.So, I guess what my answer is, the books I find inspiring are Persuasion by Jane Austen, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield, and The Dark Elf Trilogy by R.A. Salvatore.  If I can’t find a good book to read, I revert back to these, because they are just so incredibly crafted, I aspire to write something half as good.

• What do you like to read for enjoyment?

I go on genre benders.  For a while, I was reading only Sci-Fi, then I moved on to Historical Mysteries, then I would hit all the YA Dystopians, and then move on to High Fantasy. I read almost anything, although I must admit, I don’t find biographies or military books that interesting.

• We all know learning from our mistakes is part of the process of becoming who we are as a writer.  What’s one lesson you’ve learned that you would like to pass on to others?

I have been fortunate enough to have received this advice before it could have backfired on me, so I’m passing it along to you in the hopes it will prevent a great catastrophe in yours.  The advice: Don’t respond to reviews.  A good one, or a bad one.  Say no more than ‘thank you’ (unless you are personally friends with the reviewer, and even then I don’t advise it). Don’t do it.  You’ll want to.  Believe me.  But it does nothing but fuel bad publicity and creates terrible author backlash, and no matter if the reviewer was unprofessional, totally missed the plot of your book, or was just a raving a-hole, the one who comes out dirty on the other end is ALWAYS the author.There are a group of penguins in the movie ‘Madagascar’ who are trying to escape the zoo, but they must make the appearance before the zoo crowd and when they do, the Captain penguin always tells his crew, “Smile and wave, boys.  Smile and wave.” And I expect the same from you.  “Smile, and wave.”  So zip your lip, I mean it!

• What’s next for you?

I have a Social Sci-Fi awaiting approval from my agent and will soon be submitted to traditional publishing editors.  I hope to have news within six months.  We will see.  In the meantime I am working on a YA Horror and having a great time scaring my own pants off.

• and finally...What’s the funniest thing you’ve seen online lately?

SHUT UPMary's older sister, Gwen, has royally screwed up her life. Not only is Gwen pregnant at seventeen, but she's also decided to marry The Creep who knocked her up.Now Mary is powerless to stop her family from imploding. Her parents are freaking out, and to top it off The Creep has a gross fascination with Mary while Gwen enjoys teasing her to tears for sport.Despite her brother's advice to shut up, Mary can't keep her trap closed and manages to piss off Mom so much it comes to blows.Mary doesn't know what to do, and all her attempts to get help are rejected. When she finally plans her escape, she fails to consider how it could destroy them all.

Anne Tibbets Online:

• blog: Will Write for Coffee
• twitter: @writeforcoffee
• facebook
• A post Anne wrote on how she got her agent, including a look at her successful query letter. Great info!

Bree Ogden:

• blog: This Literary Life
• twitter: @breeogden
• agency bio: D4EO Literary Agency
• formspring

Fell free to keep the conversation going in the comment box below. Thanks for reading.

5 Simple Things I've Learned about Horsekeeping

1. Always have a pair of scissors handy.

You know your old sewing scissors? The ones that, when you bought them on sale with your 40% off coupon at JoAnn's? The ones you told your whole family NOT TO TOUCH, and THESE ARE FOR FABRIC and NOT FOR PRUNING THE BUSHES? The ones your kids ended up using for school projects and your husband used to cut the wire off of something in the garage, and which you will never, ever be able to use for cutting that beautiful fabric again? Don't throw them away.We always keep a pair out in the barn (okay, it's not really a barn, but hey this is Arizona. Barns are hot. It's a glorified shade but we call it a barn. Yes, I know the difference, I grew up in farm country.) Anyway, there's nothing worse than needing to cut open a new bale of hay to feed your horses (which I'm sure are starving), and there is no blade to be found.Stick that old pair of slightly damaged scissors out in your hay, and they will find new life.

2. Always stack your garden hose on a slant.

That way, when you drag it over to water your horses, or wash your car or whatever, it will not get all tangled and bunched up and make you say things like sh*t! and g******it! and son of a bee stinger! And other colorful words that entertain the neighbors.And if everyone else in your family puts the garden hose away like this:Then you may feel the way I do sometimes:

3. Always keep water from spilling.

Some of you lucky people out there have horses who never rub on anything in their stalls and never knock over their feeders or water buckets. My horses will mess with anything in their stalls. And they aren't even kept in their stalls all day - they have free reign to wander about as they choose. When the barn was built, we had automatic waterers installed, so the horses would always have fresh, clean water. This one is dog height:But the ones we had installed in the stalls were just the right height for the horses to use as butt-scratching-posts. And from the repeated leaning on by 1000-lb. animals, the waterers got tilted just enough to leak. All the time. Which resulted in huge mud puddles right where the horses need to stand to drink their water. Horse stalls and standing water do not mix. Hoof fungus, mosquitoes, and the smell are the three main reasons, but I'm sure there's more.So we got these big half-barrel water buckets from the feed store. Which are just the right height for the horses to scratch their hind legs on. And then they discovered how much fun it is to tip over the water bucket when it is about half full. Which goes back to the same old water-in-the-stall problem. It took me a few tries to final figure out how to do it (hint: looping chains around the bucket doesn't work).So I drilled holes in the top of the bucket. Wasn't easy because the loopy do-dads that I bought have wide ends so I basically had to drill two holes next to each other and then widen it further. You probably have better tools than I do, so maybe you'll have an easier time of it. Then I took some Clip-hook do-dads, attached to the loopy do-dads (all very technical here) and clipped the hooks to my fence. Voila! Horsey-no-knock-over. So there.

4. Always, ALWAYS latch gates closed behind you.

None of this, "Oh, I'll be in here for a sec to spray some fly spray/scoop poop/etc." and then swinging the gate behind you without latching it shut. 9 times out of 10, you end up going out a different gate than you came in anyway. But it only takes a second.Do not be deceived by their big-eyed innocent faces. Horses are known escape artists.The minute you turn your back, they are nosing that gate open, and GONE! This is especially important if the place they can escape to is potentially dangerous, as in the photo above—into traffic—or in my backyard, one of the gates leads to a play area where we have a trampoline which is sunken into the ground. My horses thought it would be cool the other day to push on this gate and run around back there, nearly giving me a heart attack.Luckily they just ran around and munched on the pine trees, and avoided the black hole of the trampoline. But it could have been bad.

5. If you give your horse a bath, and you are not dirtier than your horse was when you started, you are doing it wrong.

There is no possible way to bathe your horse and not get wet, dirty and smelly. If you are the type of person who doesn't like to get your hands dirty, don't even think about wanting a horse. Or just be rich enough to have some one else do it for you.But where's the fun in that?Oh - by the way, I just saw the movie BRAVE today. If you are as much of a Celtic folklore geek as I am, you will love it. Pixar did an amazing job, capturing the beauty of Scotland, and weaving a story around a strong, smart female character. AND they have an awesome Shire horse—and whoever was in charge of animating the horses did an excellent job of capturing the character and how they really move. Anyway, just go see it, it's good. Visually stunning.

Here's my LittleFilmReview tweet:

https://twitter.com/heidhorch/status/216676217854771200

Welcome to the Barn - New Site Launch!

It has been a long, long journey to get here. As I write this I am listening to Joan Jett's "Bad Reputation," and putting the finishing touches on this here brand new site that you are reading right now. Any posts dated prior to this are from my old Blogger address. Blogger has served me well the past few years, and was a great place to start a blog*. But the time had come to move on.I had been considering a move to WordPress for awhile. While I loved my Blogger site, it was getting a bit outdated and cluttered. And when reading other blogs, I kept seeing themes and design that were just so  beautiful, modern, and streamlined.During this time, Blogger had completely re-done their format with new design features and offered newer, more modern templates. Even a pretty cool Dynamic View feature. But I was still frustrated by limitations of design customization. So I started this: whenever I was out surfing the web, and came across a blog that had a professional-looking, beautiful and easy-to-funtion site, I would scroll all the way down to the bottom of the webpage, and look for the attribution, and this is what I usually found:

And then something else happened: Apple decided to move their MobileMe service over to iCloud.  I had been using my MobileMe account for email, and as a website host for my domain (www.westceltgypsy.com) ever since I moved from Homestead.com, where I first started my online career. So not only was I already looking at a new blog design, but now I was being forced to find a new web host as well. Up til now, my stand-alone site for my horses and my blog were two separate sites.

What I really wanted to do, if I was going to go through all this trouble anyway, was to take my horse website (westceltgypsy) and my blog (Chroi and Me) and blend them into one.

So I started really looking in to WordPress. Now for those of you new to it, there are TWO WordPresses:

1. WordPress.com, where you can go and in about 10 minutes, have your very own blog for free, and
2. WordPress.org, where you can go set up a self-hosted blog.

After starting with #1, Wordpress.com, I got that same old Blogger frustration: I just couldn't get it to look like I wanted it to look. I wanted certain fonts, certain design functions that I just couldn't control at WP.com. So I looked into #2, WordPress.org, and although I knew it was going to be a HUGE learning curve, I decided to jump in.*For those of you who are contemplating your own possible future in the blogoshpere, check around, and see what you prefer. There are other free blog sites out there (Live Journal), and some very nice pay-by-the-month sites (Typepad).  But my own recommendations, based on TONS of research, weeding out the garbage,  AND the fact that I am cheap, is this: stick with Blogger or WordPress.Try Blogger if you:

• are new to Blogging
• need something simple; easy to learn and use
• just need a free web presence that you can link to your other social media accounts
• don't know anything about code and don't WANT to know
• enjoy the power and reliability of Google (Blogger is powered by Google)

But go to WordPress if you:

• are a little more web-savvy
• are comfortable with tweaking a little bit of code every now and then (you don't have to, but it helps)
• are going for a more professional look (doesn't look homemade; lots of design options)
• like the idea of being part of something that is open-source
• believe that this is just a jumping off point for you, and that in the future you will build your blog to something bigger and better

But most of all, like they say in the writing world, if you want to write a book, you need to read lots of books. If you want to start a blog, read lots of blogs. Find out what appeals to you, what turns you off; look at the attribution; read the comments; comment yourself. Be active and get involved. Just like the guy in the group that is so annoying because all he does is talk about himself, and promote his own projects, nobody likes the narcissistic blogger. You can only help yourself by being part of the conversation.Why? Read on.Right around the same time I started to learn WordPress.org, my bosses over at the catering company talked to me about helping them with their Social Media Marketing platform. At the time, they had a website, and a Facebook page that one of their kids had set up two years ago, and that no one could remember the password to. It had 6 likes. They were focused on just updating the Facebook page, but I told them that while Facebook is an incredible marketing tool, it is merely one spoke in the wheel of online marketing. I said, "You gotta have a blog." Their response was, "Really?"Really.While the mainstream world is still just catching on to blogging ("what's a blog again?") and the blogosphere goes through hot-and-cold spells, it is my firm belief that a blog is the simplest, most important, and FREE online resource to entrepreneurs, artists, freelancers and just about anyone else who wants their presence known. Basically your blog is your online "hub," where your audience can find you, and which links to all of your other internet "spokes": your website, Facebook page (a Facebook fan page is different from your personal profile), your Twitter account (yes, you DO need to be on Twitter), your Pinterest page and more. More on all of that in an upcoming article.I started online with a very homemade-looking website with Homestead.com, moved to a better looking site built with iWeb, started a blog with Blogger, a Facebook page, a Twitter feed, and now this all-in-one totally sexy new WordPress self-hosted site. Along the way, I've sold 3 horses, started writing a novel, learned about writing, met some awesome people (who you will get to meet soon!), and now have others reading my work, and learning from me. In other words, I have been building an online presence, hopefully a positive one.Part of the reason this latest chapter has taken so long is that I haven't only been building one blog, I've been building two: this blog, the catering blog, plus a new Facebook Page and Twitter for them. Plus my fabulous job as a magazine and book merchandiser, driving for the caterers, feeding my boys and husband, laundry, housework, shopping, blah, blah, blah...yeah, I know, welcome to life in the 2010s, right? Everyone's working about 12 jobs.So to that end, I would like to say Thank You. Thanks for taking a little slice of ever-elusive time out of your busy day to stop by. I really do appreciate it. And I'm still surprised every time someone tells me that they read my blog. I still think it's just me and my pajamas with a cup of coffee, blathering away into space. One thing that bloggers love? Comments. See that little box at the bottom of this page? Drop me a line, say hi, and let me know what you think. I'd love to hear from you.For now, I am off on a much needed break. I'm heading up to the cool pines with my girl-friends for some R&R at a nice quiet, no wi-fi cabin. We will be reading gossip magazines, drinking wine, watching chick flicks and having pillow fights in our underwear.Just kidding on that last one, wanted to make sure you were paying attention. :)So welcome to the new WestCelt Gypsy/Chroi and Me site, please browse & read, and let me know what you think. I'll be checking in on my phone.Have a great weekend!Heidi

More pictures of Gypsy Horses

While I'm working on the new site, I'll post here and there so as not to leave you out there in cyberspace, wondering what the horses are up to.Fina has been sold, which is both bitter and sweet. We had planned to sell her before she was even born, but it's still hard to see one of your babies go. She is a very sweet filly who will grow into a beautiful mare. She is to be trained in dressage, perfect for her floaty movement and snappy trot.The silver lining of the sale is that she is going to a family who will love her and spoil her like crazy. Just as Chroicoragh was MY finally-found-dreamhorse, Fina is the same for her new owner:

I'll have more about Fina soon.

Keira is still for sale.

www.westceltgypsy.com

RANDOM HAPPY GYPSY HORSE PICTURES!

As always, thanks for stopping by - I hope you have a great day.

:)

Heidi

coming soon...

It's been needing to happen, I've been putting it off because it is SO time consuming, but Apple's recent leap to iCloud has forced me to completely renovate my website. Currently it is hosted using the soon-to-be-defunct me.com, and my time is running out.So bear with me while I make the necessary changes. I will be leaving the Blogger format (thank you, Blogger for being such a great teacher-of-blogging, and jumping-off point), and moving on to Wordpress. Blogger is a great spot to start out, but I believe Wordpress will provide just a bit more polish, and will give me the opportunity to streamline my main site and blog into one cohesive web browsing experience.Hopefully I will be able to post a few things here and there while waiting for everything to be ready.I've never been too fast at anything, so like my dad says, "don't hold yer breath," but keep checking back and I promise it will all be new, fresh, sparkly, and better than ever.In the meantime, please enjoy this clip from City Slickers, which is what I think of every time I imagine a construction site.(trivia: Billy Crystal's son is played by a young Jake Gyllenhaal)Thanks as always for stopping by, and please feel free to give me some user feedback:What about the blog do you like or NOT like?

• what should I keep?
• what should I throw out?
• too much stuff on the sidebar?
• not enough pictures?
• too much rambling?
• too much swearing?

Don't be afraid to hurt my feelings. I'm a writer; I can handle criticism.Not that I'll listen...:)And just for your entertainment, Here's a video from this morning:[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VFGfgU0X0Y]

Instagram, Pictures & Gypsy Horses

Instagram is a free photo sharing app that you can get for your phone or tablet. It gives you the ability to instantly post photos to Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and Tumblr, among others.

But what's cool about Instagram is that it allows you to add a filter to your photos that give them a vintage feel. What's even cooler is that it's not complicated, there's no learning curve, and it's just plain fun.

So I can take a plain old picture of Chroi and Fina running around in the backyard like this:

And make it look like this:

And there's no photo editing; no Photo Shop. All it is is a color filter.

All of the pictures in this post were filtered with Instagram.

I met a lovely woman in the store where I work about a month or so ago.

We exchanged recipes, and I gave her my "business" card (ha ha, as if there is any business involved; more like busy-ness.)

look at those dapples!

She came into the store again the other day, and said,

"I love your writing!"

And, me the dumbass, said

"My writing?"

And she said,

"Yeah, I read your blog."

I guess I still get a little dumbstruck when people tell me this.

I know, that sounds totally stupid.

I mean, I HAVE a blog,

I TELL PEOPLE about my blog,

I WANT people to read my blog,

I LINK, LINK, LINK to my blog,

(on my website, my Facebook page, and on my other blog)

I pass out my aforementioned cards,

I check my stats obsessively to see how many hits I've had, and

I can see the silly hit counter right there, in the right-hand column, that says (as of today) that I've had

OVER SIX THOUSAND (yay!)

visits to this blog,

But still for some reason, when I'm sitting here in my pajamas,

having my coffee,

and playing around on my computer,

it's hard to think that there's anybody out there,

and that they even read my little blogger blog,

and that they like it enough to come back.

But that's the WHOLE IDEA,right?

Well,

whoever you are,

I appreciate you.

I am so thankful that you have taken the slice of time out of your day

to visit my blog,

read my silly stuff,

listen to my opinions,

and look at pictures of my horses.

Which, by the way, was one of the pieces of advice my

store-customer-friend gave me:

"You need to show more pictures of the horses!"

To which I thought,

"Duh."

As in, she's right.

Sometimes I am such a dumbass.

So here are some horse pictures, all Instagrammed for your viewing pleasure.

Keira's dapples are starting to show, and her mane is growing back, thank goodness.

Fina is learning how to behave herself while on lead:

I caught her making a funny face:

The girls got a visit from a friend:

This is one of the cutest horse pictures ever. And that's not just my opinion.

I'm pretty sure it's true:

Fina's stylist picked out this halter for her, because it brings out the blue in her eyes:

This is her "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" pose:

Four off the floor:

What're you looking at?

Strike a pose:

And because I'm a dork, and I grew up in the 80's, and was an original wanna-be,

and because I love giving you a musical interlude,  and because I just get a song in my head sometimes,

and because it's my blog, and I can do it if I want to,

Here's one of the best Madonna videos ever.

Told you I was a dork.

Have. Fun. Every. Day.